Catching Up
by Naaxi
Summary: A sixteen year old Harry wishes with all his might that things could be different... and for once, his wish will come true. Rated just to be safe for later chapters. Please R&R!
1. Dreams and Wishes

**Catching Up**

**Author's note:** So this is something I thought up quite a few years ago... thought it was kinda neat, but I might be wrong ;) Tell me what you think in your reviews, please!  
**Disclaimer: **I sadly do not own any of Ms. Rowling's characters.

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Chapter One: Wishes and Dreams

Harry pulled his thin covers up over him as he lay on his bed in the smallest room of the Dursley house. He closed his eyes, thinking. Too much had happened in the previous year to be able to sleep easily. He was supposed to find Voldemort's remaining Horcruxs with the help of his best friends. However, they wouldn't be able to help him in the final battle. Harry knew that. He sighed deeply, and wished that Voldemort had not chosen him for the prophesy. Turning over for the umpteenth time, Harry finally fell into a deep sleep.

He dreamt of his parents, who were lovingly teaching him how to walk. He dreamt of a big, beautiful house and of family gatherings. He dreamt of fighting with his parents and of spending time with them. He dreamt of finding out that he was accepted to Hogwarts and having a party with all of his friends.

Harry awoke suddenly, the warmth of the sun on his face. He waited under his covers for the pounding knock of Uncle Vernon, ordering him to make him some breakfast. Just as he thought this, a soft knock came from the door. Harry was startled at this; the Dursleys didn't have such good manners, at least, not when it came to Harry.

The door creaked open and Harry heard soft footsteps coming towards his bed. This was most peculiar, as none of the Dursleys had ever set foot in his room since he had moved to it. A gentle hand was placed on his cheek and he opened his eyes.

There, in front of his eyes, was a woman's pale, smiling face. She gently placed Harry's glasses on his face. Her red hair tumbled across her face as she leant over him, her jade eyes worried. Harry's heart quickened as he looked into his mother's face.

"You still look ill, darling," she commented, as she placed a cool hand on his forehead.

"Wha- what year is it?" Harry faltered; his voice higher than normal.

"It's the summer of 1991, dear," She replied, frowning slightly. She bent over him and kissed him on the cheek. "Get dressed and come down for breakfast." And with that, she was gone.

_If she was right,_ Harry thought, _then that would make me eleven again. _His head was swimming. He couldn't comprehend what had happened. The last thing he had remembered was wishing it hadn't been him that Voldemort had chosen, and then he drifted off to sleep. _That must be it!_ He thought. _It's all been reversed, my wish has come true!_

Harry sat up and looked around his room. His table was no longer ratty and used; in its place sat a beautiful mahogany desk. In the place of his dresser were the doors to an enormous walk in closet. His room had nearly tripled in size from Dudley's old second bedroom.

Harry traversed his room to the closet and jerked open the doors. To his delight, every shelf had clothes or toys jammed into its small, confined space. He quickly browsed through the shelves, his curiosity getting the better of him. From downstairs he heard his name being called. He then grabbed the closest clothes to him and hastily got dressed.

Running the length of the hall, he made his way down the stairs and, following the noise, found the kitchen. The room was very cozy, with rich wood floors, cabinets and a beautiful table in its center. The walls were rich yellow ochre in colour.

At the stove, Lily Potter was flipping pancakes from a frying pan onto a plate. She turned and smiled at him as he entered the room. Harry looked around, and his heart skipped a beat. At the table sat a man with messy, jet black hair and glassed perched on his nose. He raised his chocolate eyes from the paper he was reading to smile at his son. Harry grinned and walked over to sit next to his father.

Finally he was normal. All his problems now belonged to someone else. Then a pang of guilt clenched its fist around Harry's stomach. Who had he doomed to the life of misery he had gone through? Who was destined to defeat Voldemort in his place? And then he remembered.

"Neville…" He whispered, appalled with himself. He had doomed one of his good friends to the life of heartache that he had endured.

"What was that, dear," his mum asked, while placing a plate in front of Harry. She summoned the syrup from the counter and placed it next to Harry's plate, handing him the butter in the meantime.

"Mum," Harry began in a conversational tone, "could you tell me about what happened when I was one?" His mother and father exchanged glances, and then she went on. Obviously the two of them thought that Harry might be too young to hear some of the details, so Lily paused for a minute to think. Harry desperately wanted to tell them what had happened to him, but of course, they would think he had gone mad if he told them that he was really sixteen and that he had lived through more than they knew.

His pancakes lay forgotten on his plate as he waited for his mother to answer. "Well, there was a very powerful wizard named Voldemort." She began. Harry made a mental note of her use of his name. "He wanted to take over the wizarding world. Our world. And so he began to use his great power for bad. He gained many followers and they intentionally hurt men and women who did not join him. But then one day, he went to the Longbottom house to kill all of them. He killed Frank and Alice, but was unable to kill their year old son named Neville. Lord Voldemort was somehow defeated by a baby." Her face looked pensive.

Suddenly she smiled. "He's going to Hogwarts this year also, Harry." She informed him. "Do be nice to him, please. Your father and I knew and liked his parents. Now, do eat up Harry, dear."

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**Author's note: **So that was it... I actually wrote the majority of this quite a few years ago- in 2005 to be exact, when I was fifteen. However, I have decided to finally continue writing it. So what did you all think? Alright, so a cookie goes to the first person who tells me what word I avoided using that most authors use too often... The hint is that I didn't even use it once. :D Okay- review away!

Have a great night!

Naaxi


	2. Little Marauder

**Author's note: **Hello all, again... I'm quite bored, at work as a receptionist, so figured I'd update mah story. I have up to chapter four complete... So it's just a matter of copy-paste-submit, but y'know... Alright, so with no further ado, here's the next chapter.

**Disclaimer: **Nope, this one isn't mine either...

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Chapter Two: Little Marauder

Harry spent the rest of the day looking around the house and searching his memory for his past. He tried to remember all that had happened in his dream, but it was slowly slipping away. He had no clue what had happened to him in this life.

He was now sitting cross-legged in the middle of their library, piles of photo albums in front of him. It was almost quarter past eleven by the time his father walked into the room. James crossed the room and sat beside his son.

"Ahh, yes" He sighed. "I remember that year." He grinned slyly and ruffled his son's hair. "That was the year that your mother and I got married. And those there," he pointed out the three grinning men in tuxes standing next to him and Lily. "Those there are your uncles. That one there," Harry's heart clenched as James pointed out a chubby man, "he was murdered by followers of Voldemort for betraying him and returning to the good side. Poor Peter," he sighed. "We did all we could to hide him."

Harry was shocked at this. Peter had turned back to the good side… His parents had accepted that Peter had turned to Voldemort for a while and they had stuck by him; even helped him hide. Harry looked up into the eyes of his father with a newfound respect for him.

"But I think it's just about bedtime, son," James continued. "Put these albums away and head up to bed." Sighing, Harry piled the photo albums into his arms and lugged them over to their respective shelves. He then padded down the hall, up the stair and along yet another hall to his bedroom.

Flopping down on his bed, he glanced around his room. His beloved pet owl Hedwig was nowhere to be found and his trunk and supplies were also missing. He got up, walking swiftly to the other side of his room. Stopping in front of a poster, he smiled. At least in this life he had the same tastes as in the last; it was a poster portraying a Quidditch team that he recognized as the Wimbourne Wasps.

Finally, around one in the morning, Harry was able to fall asleep. Again, he dreamt of his new past. He saw a bunch of young red headed boys running around his house as their parents talked; he saw Ron and himself playing Quidditch on toy brooms in the backyard of the Burrow.

Harry awoke the next morning to his mother's soft touch as she stroked his cheek. "Come down for breakfast, Harry dear." She whispered when she saw that he was awake.

A great wave of relief had passed over Harry. He still knew Ron, at least. Of course he did- his parents and the Weasleys were members of the Order! Harry jumped out of bed and threw on some clothes. He walked down to the kitchen, only stopping at the swinging door to listen to the voices within.

"Well, Lily, where's our little Marauder?" questioned a gruff voice that was very familiar to Harry.

"He should be down any minute, now." She answered. Harry pushed the door open and stood planted where he was, his heart now pounding in his throat. There, at the kitchen table, sat Remus Lupin, and next to him sat his smiling godfather.

"There's my godson!" Sirius cried, standing up. Finally getting the feeling in his legs back, Harry sprinted childishly towards his godfather and threw his arms around Sirius's waist.

"What's with the sudden charge of emotion, Mini-Prongs?" Sirius laughed, staring down at the little boy attached to him. Harry let go, then smiled up at the face he had longed to see ever since that fateful day at the Ministry.

His godfather looked up from his face towards Lily and James. They shrugged, and then looked at Harry. "Perhaps too many falls off his toy broom when he was younger is finally catching up with our young Marauder..." Sirius chuckled, taking his seat.

"No, I just missed you is all," Harry replied. _Of course Sirius would be here_, he thought, _he was a free man! He was never framed for telling Voldemort his parents' whereabouts!_ They were alive; everyone was alive. Harry then walked over to Remus and noticed that his arm was in a sling.

"Just a handshake for me, Harry." He nodded at his arm, and then smiled. Harry returned the smile and shook his good hand.

"What happened to you?" Harry inquired, looking at the scrapes above his left eyebrow.

"Remus had a rough night," James replied, winking at his friend.

"Yeah, lucky your dad was there to help me out," Remus mumbled, averting his eyes.

"It was nothing, Moony." James insisted. "Besides, we haven't been out as a group like that in a few months! It was refreshing."

"So how is Calli, Sirius?" Lily asked, adding spices to a pot on the stove. Harry looked up at his godfather.

Sirius cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Well… umm…" He stalled.

"Out with it, Padfoot!" James, Remus and Lily ordered simultaneously.

"I've decided to ask her to marry me!" He exclaimed, and then laughed a barking laugh.

A stunned silence followed his words, but not for long. The roaring cheers and applause from his beaming friends erupted all at once. They clapped him on the back and toasted to him and his fiancé-to-be.

"Padfoot, old boy, I thought you'd never settle down!" James boomed, getting out a case of beer from the fridge and sliding one across the table to him.

"Well, it's taken me thirty one years… I thought that that was long enough. Besides, we need some Mini-Padfoots around here!" Sirius chuckled.

"I'm just fine with one of you, thanks," Remus chided, taking a swig from the bottle in his hand.

Harry was smiling so much his cheeks hurt, but he didn't mind. Sirius was getting married! He hadn't even thought of the idea before, but seeing as he was now a free man, and had always been, he had had more time and freedom to decide something so simple as to ask someone to marry him. He hadn't spent twelve years in Azkaban, so his hair was shiny and smooth. His face was no longer pale and tight across his face, but handsome and well defined.

Harry raised his butter beer in the air, and then winked at his godfather. "To Sirius!" He cried.

"To Sirius!" Lily, James and Remus all echoed, with Sirius beaming at his supportive friends.

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**Author's note: **So yeah... that's it for now :P Alright... question for this chapter... hmm... what does Sirius's fiancé-to-be Calli's name mean:D Good luck! Ooh, and please tell me if you would all like me to reply to your reviews in my profile...

Adios!

-Naaxi


	3. Presents and Floo Powder

**Author's note: **So thanks for the review, jekl. Much appreciated, love. Anyways, no more rambling!

**Disclaimer: **cough Do I _look_ like J.K. Rowling?

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Chapter Three: Presents and Floo Powder

Harry lay in bed that night, thinking over the day's events. Through all the years that Harry had known Sirius, granted they were limited, he had never thought of him as the type of man to settle down and have a family.

Harry was enormously proud of his godfather, but at the same time, he was saddened. He knew that he and Sirius would never be as close as they had been before, especially now that he was going to start a family. Sirius was happy now- happier than he had ever been before. _But before we consoled each other… Before our losses brought us close_, Harry reminded himself. He turned on his side, arm under his head, and sighed. He shouldn't be so selfish. Sirius had the right to be happy, even if it wasn't because of him.

Harry eventually fell into a deep fitful sleep. Images of an empty vase, a lightning bolt scar and a snake on a hearthrug circled in his mind. Harry awoke with a start, cold sweat dripping down his face.

The sun had not yet risen in the sky, but traces of purple crept across the horizon. Harry sighed then slowly sat up, turned and sat with his back against the wall. He knew that he would never be able to go back to sleep after such a vivid dream. What had it meant? He scratched his head then stood up and padded over to the floor length mirror on his closet door. Harry hadn't looked at himself in a few days- since his wish had come true, he realized.

He stood in front of the mirror. A young boy stared back at him. Messy jet black hair covering his forehead and emerald green eyes were hidden beneath circle framed glasses. Harry pushed the hair on his forehead back and saw that the lightning bolt scar that had come to be a part of him was no longer there. He found that he didn't look quite like himself without it.

Harry turned and walked back to his bed, a bit calmer than before. He flopped down onto it unceremoniously. Yawning, he pulled the covers back over him. He'll just close his eyes for a few minutes…

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Harry's eyes snapped open. There, at the foot of his bed, stood his beaming parents, a tray filled with all sorts of food held in his mother's hands and a large wrapped present in his father's. Harry grinned and sat up, sunlight streaming into his room. He hadn't thought of his birthday in days.

His mother placed the tray in Harry's lap, kissed him on the forehead, and then sat at the foot of his bed. His father then put the present on Harry's bedside table, gave his son a hug, and then pulled Harry's desk chair up by his bed.

"Thought we'd make you breakfast and keep you company" James stated.

"Thanks," Harry smiled, biting the end off a sausage.

"We're going to go to Diagon Alley later on to buy your school things," Lily began, "and tonight Sirius, Remus and the Weasleys are coming over to wish you a happy birthday." Harry's heart rose even more. He would get to see one of his best friends tonight for the first time in months.

"Alright, sounds good!" Harry agreed.

Harry finished his breakfast in a comfortable silence, and then his mother removed the tray from his lap. James handed him the odd shaped present from his bedside table.

"Go on, open it!" James encouraged, sitting on the edge of his seat. Harry smiled and ripped open the large present on his lap. Once he had cleared off enough paper scraps, he found an intricately detailed chest. Harry ran his fingers along the seam, taking in its splendour.

"Make him open it faster, Lils!" James whined. Lily laughed, smiling lovingly at her son.

"Don't rush him, Jamsie."

Harry grinned at his parents, and then quickly opened the chest. The latch lifted surprisingly easily and swung back to reveal four balls. The large red quaffle, the two black bludgers, who were trying desperately to free themselves and the tiny snitch, sat in the chest. There were also two small bats and a glove. Harry looked curiously up at his father. "What's the glove for?" he asked.

"That, my boy, is a relatively new invention. That glove will pull back your snitch- and only your snitch- to your hand once the game is over. This little glove will prevent the loss of your snitch. Neat, huh?" Harry nodded and hugged them both.

"Thanks! This is so awesome!"

"Maybe we could go out and-"

"No James, there will be time for playing later." Lily scoffed him playfully. "We're heading out shopping soon."

James pouted his bottom lip then broke out into a smile. "Later on, then, Mini-Me." He messed up his son's hair. "Get dressed then come downstairs."

Harry watched as they got up, Lily carrying the tray with empty dishes, James carrying the shredded wrapping paper. He looked down at the Quidditch balls in his lap and smiled. This was the best birthday he had ever had in his life.

Jumping off his bed and placing the chest on a desk, he quickly crammed himself into some clothes and then leapt down the stairs, skipping the last three. He ran down the hall, and then skidded into the living room. His parents were sitting on the love seat. James's arm was wrapped around Lily and her head was on his shoulder. Their free hands were resting intertwined between them.

"You ready to go, Mini-Me?" Harry nodded as his parents stood up. "Alright. I'll go first, and then you and finally your mother so that you don't get lost." He grabbed a handful of Floo Powder from the pot on top of the fireplace, tossed it into the fire indifferently. He walked into the emerald flames and disappeared in a swirl. Harry waited for a while to make sure he had gone, and then followed.

He arrived in a fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron next to his father. He looked older with flecks of ash in his black hair, and Harry couldn't help but laugh. James spun around to look at him.

"What?" He asked, spinning on the spot. "Do I have something on my back?" Harry chuckled as his father spun around and around.

"Jamsie? You may look good in grey- but not for a few more years." She smiled at him.

"Huh?" He asked intelligently.

Lily ran her fingers through his messy black hair, letting the ashes fall to the ground. "There we are, dear… Now, where are the Weasleys?"

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**Author's note:** Yawn… another 3.5 more hours of work. Ah well…

Until next time,

Naaxi


	4. Old Friends and New Surprises

**Author's note: **Still bored out of my mind… people need to come get more piercings and tattoos to keep me occupied!

**Disclaimer: **Nope- still not mine.

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Chapter 4: Old Friends and New Surprises

Harry looked around the familiar common room of the Leaky Cauldron, taking in every small detail as he tried his best to tidy up. He was in the middle of brushing himself off when two cold hands covered his eyes.

"Guess who!" Two voices called out in unison.

"Fred! George! Long time no see!" Harry cried, embracing the identical redheads.

"How ya been, Harry?" George asked, looking him up and down.

"You look horrible! All pale and blotchy!" Fred grinned.

"Yeah… You should really get that checked out, Harry… It's unnatural to have grey hair at eleven." George stuck out his tongue.

Looking behind him, Harry noticed that the whole Weasley family had arrived, excluding Bill and Charlie. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had crossed the room over to where James and Lily were. His mother seemed almost to glow. He wondered briefly why he hadn't noticed that before. She appeared unable to stop smiling as she whispered something to Mrs. Weasley, who, in turn, gave her a huge hug. Harry stared at this scene for a moment, perplexed, then concluded that it must be a girl thing and shrugged it off.

Harry then noticed Percy, who was off in a corner looking flustered, his fang rimmed glasses perched on the tip of his nose as he examined his prefects badge. Ginny smiled shyly at him and Ron was grinning as he walked over to Harry.

"Fred and George changed Percy's prefect badge to say-" Ron began.

"Humongous Bighead?" Harry guessed, remembering the first time this had happened.

"Um, yeah." Ron stated lamely.

"Ooh- uh, good guess?" Harry covered quickly. He forgot that this had never happened before in this new life. Ron grinned at him and they began talking about their summers, Harry feigning his by telling bits of his dream that he had the first night after his wish had come true. His explanations came to an end just as Mrs. Weasley insisted that they all go off to buy their new school supplies.

Everyone split off, arranging to meet back at the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. Harry could have sworn that both Mr. Olivander and Florean Fortescue had winked at him, but nothing else of much importance happened as Harry went around Diagon Alley, following his parents into each store.

By dinnertime, Harry was exhausted. He had everything on his list and more. He found a familiar snowy owl in Eeylops Owl Emporium, secretly thankful to have his friend back. Hedwig hooted in recognition and nipped lovingly at Harry's finger as he stroked her feathers. Somehow, Harry couldn't know how, she knew that they knew each other from before. This comforted Harry for some reason.

By the time Harry and his Parents arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, the Weasley family was already sitting down at a long table. Three empty seats were squished along the table, two together by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and one in between Ron and Fred. Harry took his place and immediately stood up again.

"Told you he would sit on it," George laughed from across the table.

"I just didn't think he wouldn't look where he was sitting… I mean, who trusts us enough to just sit down without checking first?" Fred grinned at Harry.

"What is this?" Harry asked, rubbing his hand over his drenched bottom.

"That, my boy, is a Number Jelly. It turns anything it touches numb for up to four hours." George informed him. Harry joined in as all the Weasley children began to laugh. The parents didn't look up, however. They seemed deep in conversation.

Harry sat down, and, true enough, he couldn't feel his backside. His hands had also become numb from touching the substance. Fred, George, Ron and Harry all laughed as Harry struggled to use his utensils. Soon after they started eating, Sirius and Remus joined the group.

Once everyone had finished their meals and were talking merrily, Harry's parents called for everyone's attention. Silence fell on the table as everyone turned their attention to James and Lily.

"Well, first off, I'd like to say how happy we are to see you all again. It's always so great to see such a big group…"

"James! You're rambling again. Now spit it out!" Sirius boomed, grinning broadly at his friends.

"Don't be so cruel, Sirius. Perhaps he's going somewhere with this." Remus scolded. "Please continue, James."

"Uh, thanks, Remus. As I was saying…" He looked down at his wife and took her hand in his. "Well, this group will get just a tad larger, come next February." He beamed around at all his closest friends. An eruption of noise greeted his words as they all cheered and toasted the couple and their baby-to-be.

Harry's mouth opened as he took in a sharp breath. He had not even once considered the possibility of a sibling. He immediately joined in, getting up and embracing his parents. Harry believed that if he were a normally eleven-year-old only child, that he might be jealous- but he loved children. This sibling wouldn't be so bad, he reasoned. They _were_ going to be eleven years apart, after all…

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**Author's note: **Alright- so what do you think? I read this one over and feel like I could have made it less obvious- however… the next chapters should be better, seeing as I am 4 years older. Now I just have to remember where I was going with everything, hahaha!

Stay gold, Ponyboy!

Naaxi


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